U.S. presence in other states ‘a recipe for disaster’: Qassemi

TEHRAN – The military presence of the United States in any country across the globe has almost always proven “a recipe for disaster”, leading to catastrophic consequences for different regions and the world, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi says.

In an interview with the Tehran Times on Wednesday, Qassemi said, “It is very hard to find examples where America’s presence in a certain region has resolved that region’s issues.”

“America causes harm to other countries by its extremely ambitious policies, its greed toward other countries’ resources, its hegemonic policies and sometimes its lack of understanding,” he remarked.

On Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strong criticism of U.S. presence in Syria, Qassemi said America’s presence in the war-torn country is absolutely “wrong” and “unwarranted”.

On Tuesday, Erdogan said the U.S. is working against the interests of Turkey, Iran and maybe Russia in northern Syria, where it is sending in military supplies to an area controlled by Kurdish-dominated forces.

“If the United States says they are sending 5,000 trucks and 2,000 cargo planes of weapons for the fight against Daesh (ISIL), we don’t believe this,” Erdogan told members of his ruling AK Party in parliament.

“It means you have calculations against Turkey and Iran, and maybe Russia,” he said, repeating a call for U.S. troops to withdraw from the Syrian town of Manbij.

Qassemi said the Turkish president has good relations with Iran’s leaders.

“I think America and other countries should leave the region alone and let North and South Korea resolve their issues and differences through dialogue.”

“We have many similar viewpoints about the region, but we have our differences as well.”

He emphasized that U.S. activities in Syria would lead to instability and growth of extremism and terrorism in the region.

“So America’s presence in Syria can definitely be a dangerous presence which can create problems for Syria as well as the entire region,” he said.

Due to the conflict of interests between America and other countries in Syria, it can fan the flames of war, terrorism and insecurity in the war-torn country, he warned.

In recent decades, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said, Washington’s “flawed policies” as well as its “unjustifiable” presence have been the root causes of many of the region’s problems.

“As an example”, he said, “you can see Afghanistan’s domestic circumstances today, years after America entered the country.”

Iraq and other countries in the region are also good examples, he said, adding the United States’ military presence brings about “harmful” outcomes for a region and its people, he remarked.

The spokesman also pointed to U.S.-Israeli relations and how they affect the region.

He said Washington’s unsparing support for the occupying regime [of Israel] has led to a stigmatization of Muslim countries’ youths, so it can be regarded as a source of extremism in the region.

“U.S. President Donald Trump is more of a businessman than politician, and tries to intensify frictions across the world so that his country could benefit.”

Unfortunately, America’s role in creating and developing such extremist groups can be seen vividly, he said.

Qassemi also offered his take on Washington’s role on the Korean Peninsula, saying, “I think America and other countries should leave the region alone and let North and South Korea resolve their issues and differences through dialogue.”

“The Korean Peninsula is a fragile and yet important region which is not in good conditions right now,” he said, stressing that the tension that exists there is not to the benefit of the region and the world.

The spokesman said other countries’ interference in the Korean Peninsula can lead to dire consequences, whose ultimate result would be nothing but “war, bloodshed and insecurity” for the region and the entire globe.

Unfortunately, he continued, U.S. President Donald Trump is more of a businessman than politician, and tries to intensify frictions across the world so that his country could benefit.

“Since last year, tension across the world has soared and concerns about such heightened tensions are expressed more regularly,” he said.

Qassemi further said that such approach toward politics can be “very dangerous” for world peace.

Fortunately, he said, the majority of the world, including European countries, do not see eye to eye with Trump and more and more countries openly voice their protests toward his policies.